In the after-market where it is necessary to provide replacement parts and services for servicing original equipment manufactured goods, those suppliers of such goods for the after-market are confronted with a two-fold problem. Firstly, original equipment manufacturers utilize their own unique design and produce original equipment having specific configurations which requires that replacement parts for the original equipment be specially designed to be adaptable therewith. The after-market manufacturer is confronted additionally with the need to stock repair and replacement parts that are unique and specifically adapted for association with one particular original manufacturer's goods.
To specifically manufacture repair and replacement parts identical to those of the original equipment manufacturer, may, in some instances, present proprietary encroachment or, as is most often the case, present the after-market manufacturer with having to produce a large assortment of repair and replacement parts which have a relatively low volume, thereby making it economically infeasible to adequately service the after-market needs. Secondly, even if specific uniquely configured after-market, replacement parts were to be manufactured, the cost of warehousing and making said specific parts available would become uneconomical and cumbersome, not to mention the difficulties that, for example, a service man would have with regard to making calls not knowing what repair and replacement parts he should have on hand.
Considering the foregoing problems with regard to refrigeration equipment such as refrigerators, freezers and the like, all of which contain cold control regulators, the present invention pertains to a universal, cold control knob and dial replacement part which will overcome many of the foregoing shortcomings alluded to with regard to after-market replacement parts. The universal knob-dial control member of the invention is uniquely configured so that the knob itself may be utilized alone and is adapted to accommodate the control shaft of a large number of cold control regulators or, alternately, is adapted to be associated with a dial member for still other cold control regulators of various original equipment manufacture.
The universal knob-dial control member of the invention not only makes it economically feasible for the after-market manufacturer to supply replacement parts to meet the needs of a plurality of devices needing replacement parts, but also facilitates the repair man's ability to service the original equipment manufactured devices in that one universal, cold control knob-dial combination or kit allows him to service a plurality of cold control devices with but a single knob-dial control member.